Candy Symbolism In Of Mice And Men

After Carlson shot Candy’s dog, Candy began to regretted his decision when he says “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George.” (Steinbeck, 61). Candy understood that his dog had to be put down because it was getting old and was in constant pain. Candy believed that because it was his dog he should have been the one put his dog down instead of letting someone else do it for him because it was his responsibility to put him out of his suffering. Not only this but, when George shot Lennie.

Lennie and George find themselves becoming more hopeful after Candy successfully manages to turn a dream that was originally meant for two men into a dream for three. He tries to help George and Lennie attain their dream, and convince them that, “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some” (59). He also shows the two friends of the possibility towards failed outcomes- symbolized through Candy’s inability to kill his own dog.

Candy’s dog was shot by Carlson who was told by Candy that he could shoot the dog because he was getting really old. “Got no teeth. He’s all stiff with rheumatism. He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself.

Some people think that the dog was better off dead, “'Why’n’t you get Candy to shoot his old dog and give him one of the pups to raise up? I can smell that dog a mile away. Got no teeth, damn near blind, can’t eat'" (Steinbeck 18). Readers often refer to this quote to assume that the dog was suffering and should be killed off for its own good. Many people perceived the situation differently because it is a dog not a child, not a woman, not a man.

I shouldn’t oughtta let no stranger shoot my dog. ”(pg.61) Candy had raised the dog since it was a pup so their relationship reflects George and Lennie’s friendship as they too were childhood friends. Candy later regretted not being with his dog until the end. If George had not shot Lennie himself, he would be burdened with the fact that he had tolerated a random stranger to kill his best

He is an elderly man who used to be a handyman and is now only left with one hand due to an accident he had. He worries often that the boss of the ranch will see Candy as useless and kick him off. Candy also owns a dog that he has had since the dog was a puppy. As the dog was growing up it became a great sheepdog, but now that the dog is older it is seen as a “drag-footed sheepdog, with pale, blind eyes and a grizzled, moth-eaten coat” (pg. 24).

Candy Candy is an old man who lost his hand in an accident. He joins Lennie and George with their dream of owning a farm and is allowed to do so because he has the necessary money to make the dream a

John Steinbeck's novella 'Of Mice and Men' contains various important themes. One of the significant themes of this novella is hope, friendship and loneliness, determination that empowers a man to endeavour with a feeling of self-esteem. In this novella, Loneliness is presented to be one of the dominant themes. The composer outlines the depression of ranch life in the mid 1930's and shows how individuals headed from town to town in an attempt to discover kinship keeping in mind the end goal was to escape from forlornness.

When his dog is shot, Steinbeck uses this as an opportunity for foreshadowing.. “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (61). This scene is almost an exact replica of the very last one that occurs in the novela. Even the way Candy’s dog is shot, “‘They way I'd shoot him, he wouldn't feel nothing.

He ain’t no good to you Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?’” (Steinbeck 44) Carlson doesn’t understand why Candy keeps the dog because he doesn’t have any worth, and he isn’t useful.

Steinbeck argues that the purpose of Candy’s disability of having old age is to demonstrate that if you cannot help in society, your chances of survival will be decreased through the use of the comments of the other workers on the ranch. Steinbeck supports this claim by demonstrating how in the society that the book is based in, if you are not helping in society, then your survival may be threatened. An example of this is when Candy’s dog is about to get shot. Since he can no longer help out, the other workers want to kill him. “We can’t sleep with him stinkin’ around in here” (Steinbeck, 47).

In this chapter, the gloom is relieved by the hopeful planning of the three men — George, Lennie, and Candy — toward their dream. For the first time in his life, George believes the dream can come true with Candy's down payment. He knows of a farm they can buy, and the readers' hopes are lifted as well, as the men plan, in detail, how they will buy the ranch and what they will do once it is theirs. But while Steinbeck includes this story of hope, the preponderance of the chapter is dark. Both the shooting of Candy's dog and the smashing of Curley's hand foreshadow that the men will not be able to realize their

They were seen as useless and as extra mouths to feed. Candy faces the endless fear that the boss will fire him once he loses his worth on the farm. Candy’s fears are portrayed when Carlson shoots his old dog because the dog is too old to be of use. He tells Lennie

Steinbeck states in the novel, “You seen what they done to my dog tonight?”(60). An example of Candy telling George and Lennie his problems. Candy still feels upset over his dog death by Carlson. But by using that excuse he got George to agree with him, to let him live in the ranch once they earn enough money. With Candy’s help with George and Lennie’s dream, it is easier and now faster for the three of them to get their ranch.

Candy lost his right hand in a ranch accident, which is why the owners “give me a job swampin’” as he says (Steinbeck 59). He believes he will that he will be “can[ned] purty soon,” so he wants to go with George and Lennie (Steinbeck 60). When Carlson wants to shoot Candy’s dog, Candy does not want him to. He says “No, I couldn’... I had ‘im too long” and “I had him from a pup” (Steinbeck 45).